We find ourselves at a pivotal moment where the role of generative AI and other technological tools is reshaping the way we teach and learn languages. The question that lies before us is not whether these innovations will shape the future, but rather how we, as educators, will harness their potential to create meaningful and effective language instruction.
The title of our conference, No Fate: The Future is Not Set, underscores our belief that the future is not predetermined. We hope that our conference will serve both as a platform for collaboration and a catalyst for change as it is via the collective effort of educators, researchers, and innovators that the trajectory of language teaching and learning will be determined. By fostering collaboration, sharing insights, and pushing the boundaries of what is possible, we can shape the future of language education.
As technology continues to play a pivotal role in education, understanding the potential benefits and limitations of AI-driven tools becomes crucial. This study investigates the impact of integrating ChatGPT, a language model powered by artificial intelligence, in empowering Chinese undergraduate English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students' critical thinking skills within the context of academic writing. Adopting a sequential explanatory mixed-methods research design, one class of EFL students from a public university in China participated in this study. Quantitative data, collected through a questionnaire, were analyzed using SPSS version 27, yielding descriptive statistics on learners' attitudes, academic help-seeking behavior, and perceived usefulness of ChatGPT in academic writing. Qualitative data were derived from a subset of participants using reflective journals and stimulated-recall interviews in terms of their chat logs with ChatGPT, then thematically analyzed. The study reveals ChatGPT's "can do" aspects, such as aiding students in topic selection, proposal outlining, literature review, methodology explanation, data analysis, and writing phases (drafting, revising, and proofreading). Conversely, "can't do" aspects include impersonalized writing, limited access to real-time subject knowledge (up to its last training data in September 2021), absence of specific institutional guidelines, inability to guide ethical considerations, and challenges in generating accurate citations and reliable references due to limited context awareness and cultural nuances. These findings contribute to ongoing discussions on technology integration in language learning, offering educators insights into the strengths and weaknesses of AI tools like ChatGPT. By discerning the intricate relationship between AI and critical thinking, educators can guide students in leveraging technology's benefits while nurturing their critical skills in academic writing.
Keywords: ChatGPT, empowerment, Chinese EFL learners, critical thinking, academic writing, reflective practice
